Parenting Styles: Authoritative

Composition 1301-P78
2013, April 15Authoritative Parenting: The Most Effective ParentingChildren are impacted by so many things in life, parents being the most influential. The methods in which parents raise their children impact their development as well as their behavior. Not every child is the same, so children from different backgrounds can be extremely similar and children from similar backgrounds could grow up with entirely different personalities. “Psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study on more than 100 preschool-age children. Using observation, parental interviews and other research methods, she identified four important dimensions of parenting: disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturance, communication styles, and expectations of maturity and control,” (Cherry, 2012, para.2). From these dimensions, researchers were able to conclude that most parents display one of four parenting styles. These styles are authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved, and authoritative. Each one of these styles has their positive side but authoritative is the most effective form of parenting. Parents will raise their child under these styles not knowing that they are also impacting the way their child will conduct themselves as an adult.

The first of the four parenting styles is authoritarian parenting. This style of parent is known to have strict rules and expectations. The parent does not express much warmth or nurturing which was one of the four dimensions. The authoritarian does not give the child choices and utilizes punishments with little to no explanation. An example of this form of parenting is when a child is wanting to go out and socialize with friends that the parent does not want them talking to. The parent then says no, which in return, the child begins crying and argues with the parent. An authoritarian, in this situation, is going to ground the child for talking back and not respecting their decision. While other parents may...